Posted Tuesday, June 28, 1:26 a.m.

NEW YORK – On Tuesday night, the NBA will hold its annual draft in the Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Players will sit at tables, flanked by agents and family, and overwhelmed by nerves. On Monday, before heading to a charity event at the Dunlevy Milbank Center in Manhattan, anxiety was put aside as members of the media spent time with the players at the Westin Times Square.

In recent years, the draft has been a showcase of international and high school talent.

The last time an NCAA player was taken with the first overall pick in the NBA Draft was in 2000, when the New Jersey Nets selected Kenyon Martin. Since the beginning of the new millennium, high school and international players have marginalized the collegiate basketball scene, going first overall since the Washington Wizards selected Kwane Brown in 2001.

This year, former University of Utah standout and Australian native Andrew Bogut is said to be a favorite to be taken No. 1 overall. The draft will be televised on ESPN, with coverage beginning at 7 p.m.

The 2005 draft is the last time young high school stars will be inundating the draft scene. Beginning with the 2006 draft, only players 19 and over and a year removed from high school will be able to play professional ball.

This year’s top draft prospects have mixed feelings about the new rule. Syracuse University’s four-year star Hakim Warrick does not regret spending his years in college, which included a national championship in 2003.

“I have no regrets about playing for four years. I won a national championship and it was a great time,” Warrick said at the Westin Times Square Monday night.

When asked about his opinion of the new rule, he seemed slightly conflicted. The Pennsylvania native said he thought it should be up to the players but added that it’s good to sit and wait.

“It’s tough,” Warrick said. “I think it will help college and the NBA. It helped me a lot.”

Despite being under 23 years old Warrick, Channing Frye and Danny Granger are considered the elder statesmen of the 2005 draft. Out of 16 players that have been labeled “top prospects” by the NBA, only Warrick, Frye and Granger have expended their collegiate eligibility.

Granger thinks the rule could have positive implications but denies any racial implications that have been leveled by Indiana Pacers star Jermaine O’Neal, who jumped to the NBA from high school.

“I think it could be a good rule,” Granger said. “A lot of guys are skipping out before they are ready.”

“I don’t think race has anything to do with it,” Granger added. “I think the NBA is good and there are so many factors involved in it that you can’t just say its race.”

For a player such as Martell Webster, a 6-7 guard from Seattle, Wash., the NBA is chasing a dream. Webster, who did not attend college, dispelled any notion that having a passion for the game correlates to playing in the collegiate ranks.

“When it comes to passion and love, it doesn’t have to do with what level you are on. You can have a passion for the game in fourth, fifth or sixth grade,” Webster said. “As far as it being compared to college and the NBA, it is just based on what you feel you want to do.”

Webster said going to college would have been a great experience and would have helped him mentally or physically but added it could’ve also hurt. The guard also plans on doing course work during his time as a professional player.

If drafted, a player can be sent to the NBDL, a developmental league under the auspices of the NBA. Webster said he would rather play in the developmental league than sit on the bench all season.

“As long as I’m playing basketball, I’m happy,” Webster said. “If that’s what they had to do to me to prepare me, I guess I’d take up that challenge.”

Gerald Green, a 6-foot-8 forward from Gulf Shores Academy in Texas, said he does not feel pressure but also said he is not sure he if he’s ready to join the NBA.

“It was a hard decision for me,” Green said. “I’ve always wanted to go to college and it’s been a dream of mine. It was probably one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make. But I made my decision and I’m going to stick with it.”

Green, who had committed to play for Oklahoma State University, said the whole process is a lot to handle but his family aids in keeping him in line.

As of right now, I’m a simple guy,” Green said. “Even if I try to do something stupid, my mom will hit me in the back of the head.”